Symbiosis
by EldritchSandwich
Summary: Change of Heart Series 8. Time for another pool trip! While Sissi, Ana, and Odd antagonize at the pool, Ulrich and Yumi face a more immediate threat…


"...light, on the other hand, exhibits the properties of both." Mrs. Hertz' hand slipped in the middle of the diagram as the bell rang. "Oh, we're out of time already? Very well, have a nice weekend, everyone, but make sure your essays are on my desk first thing next Tuesday!"

Odd ran up between Jeremie and Ulrich, pulling their shoulders toward him. "Hey guys, who's up for a little soccer?"

Jeremie shrugged off his friend's hand. "Thanks, but we have to get ready for the annual pool trip. Assuming Xana doesn't hijack the bus this time, I'm going to take Aelita."

Sissi chuckled. "I'm sure she'd love that. She probably doesn't get to swim much on Lyoko, seeing as the water tends to vaporize you."

Jeremie nodded, turning his attention to Odd. "Are you going to bring Ana?"

Odd's eyes flickered toward Sissi before returning to Jeremie's. "I don't know. I mean, I'm sure we'll hang out at the pool, but I kind of feel like we're going too fast."

Ulrich smiled faintly. "Ooh, trouble in paradise, eh?"

Odd slapped Ulrich's shoulder. Sissi turned around as they exited the building. "Speaking of which, Ulrich, how's Yumi doing? She's been a little weird the last few days. I thought something might be wrong."

Ulrich sighed, his smile fading. "Yeah, we've had some...stuff to work through. I don't think I'm going to come on the swim trip with you guys—we still have some things we need to talk about."

Ulrich and Sissi broke off, each headed toward some undiscovered destination. Odd stared after Sissi as she headed across the courtyard. Jeremie smiled wryly. "Odd? Anything you feel like sharing?"

Odd changed directions, heading off toward the dorms, and his gaze shook loose. "Hm? It's nothing. I've just been...thinking about some stuff myself, lately..."

Jeremie shook his head as Odd wandered off. If he didn't make a choice soon, Jeremie thought, one of them probably would. Exhaling forcefully, Jeremie circled around to the sewer access in the park. He couldn't wait to tell Aeilta the news.

Yumi's fists hammered into the punching bag, causing it to sway violently, endangering its position screwed into her ceiling. She grabbed the heavy sack, stopping its sway. Her face sweaty from the exertion, Yumi closed her eyes, breathing hard. Launching herself back, she drilled into the bag again, a jab or cross landing for each word her father had said at supper.

He wanted to know if she'd broken up with Ulrich yet. Then he wanted to know why she hadn't. He asked her why she thought she had the right to disobey him. Yumi put her whole body into a punch that made her target quiver. _Disobey him!_ That was a joke.

She wasn't supposed to leave her room until noon tomorrow. Her father said she was being punished. _Punished!_ Nonetheless, she had to meet Ulrich at nine, once the bus had left for the swimming pool with most of Kadic's boarders. Then they could be alone.

Until then, Yumi just had to vent her frustration. Maybe Ulrich wasn't good enough for her father, but he was good enough for _her_.

Boarding the bus, Sissi nudged Odd with her elbow. "You'll notice we're not taking the electric one this year."

Odd grinned. "Yeah, wonder what came over them?" Sissi smiled. Odd had missed seeing that. "Besides, maybe this way we'll get there before sundown..." Sissi giggled.

As they neared the center of the bus, Sissi caught sight of Ana in a window seat. Almost subconsciously, she started to break off from Odd. Pausing for a moment, Odd followed her. Sissi looked back. "Aren't you going to sit with Ana?"

Odd shrugged as he took the aisle seat beside Sissi. "She'll understand. I feel like I've been ignoring you guys lately—especially you—and I want to make it up."

Sissi smiled wanly, silently cursing herself. It would be so much easier if she could just hate him. Aelita's milky voice from the front of the bus caught her attention. "You still haven't told me where we're going, Jeremie."

Jeremie and Aelita took the seats across from their friends. "all right. Do you know what swimming is?"

Aelita arched her eyebrows. "Immersion in water for recreational or athletic purposes."

Odd chuckled. "It's more fun than it sounds."

Aelita's skin paled. Before she could speak, Jim's voice from the head of the bus swept over the rows of seats. "Is everyone ready? Where's Ulrich?"

"He's not coming," Jeremie shouted, "he's...feeling sick."

Jim shrugged and took his seat at the front, nodding to the driver. Stretching his neck, the pudgy man turned the key, the bus gradually sputtering to wakefullness.

Ulrich watched from behind the gate as the bus slowly gained momentum, carrying its screaming cargo away. Hefting the half-filled backpack, he headed off toward the spot Yumi had chosen in the park. It was well within the shade of the giant trees, and out of the way of any passerby's vision.

Yumi slowly slid the deadbolt closed, careful not to let its thud give her away. With any luck, last night's outburst combined with a locked door would make her parents think she was sulking. For good measure, she turned on the radio to a soft volume before heaving herself out of the half-circular window above her sleeping platform. She needed nothing so cliched as a rope made of bedsheets, the trellice was handy, though overgrown with ivy, and would leave no trace of her passing. As her foot hit a loose board she froze, terrified someone inside might hear. A few seconds pause and she dropped to the ground, hopping the backyard picket fence effortlessly.

Turning around for a look at the idyllic suburban house behind her, Yumi snorted her contempt before wordlessly turning down a back alley. If she was lucky, no one would even realize she was gone. After all...why start noticing her now?

Sissi reclined by the side of the pool, a rickety plastic chair barely supporting her weight. Eyes closed, she listened to the splashing in the pool. Mostly the younger kids, she thought, but she wasn't surpirsed when she squinted open her eyes and saw Odd splashing at a group of seventh graders. What caught her attention was instead the image of Aelita, clad in a borrowed floral-print bathing suit, stepping gingerly out of the girls' locker room. Overwhelmed by the screaming and laughter and bright sun, Aelita tip-toed along the edge of the wet cement toward Sissi's seat at the far end of the pool.

Sissi smiled as she approached, offering the chair next to her. Aelita sat down, a look of sheer terror on her face. "I can't do this. There are so many people, and they're all so loud."

Sissi patted Aelita's hand. "It's how we have fun."

Aelita shook visibly. "I prefer Jeremie's way—a little chess, a little math, and then debugging a computer network just for good measure."

The cannon-like splash near the opposite edge of the pool caught both girls' attention, and as the ripples subsided, Jeremie's head pushed its way out of the water. Sissi fought to keep from laughing. "Yeah, that's Jeremie for you. Stable all the way." Aelita blushed. "Look, if you want you can stay up here with me."

Aelita lifted herself partially out of her chair in order to more easily meet Sissi's eyes. "Why, what are you doing?"

Sissi's smile widened. "It's called tanning. I'm letting the sun darken my skin."

Aelita shrugged. "That wouldn't do much good for me, I imagine. Once I get back to Lyoko, it wouldn't really matter."

"True, but at least that way you don't have to worry about getting sunburned," Sissi mentioned casually, glancing at Aelita's lily-white skin.

Aelita smiled half-heartedly. "How are you doing with Odd?"

Sissi sighed, turning her face toward the open sky. "I don't know. I don't want to come between him and Ana..." Sissi watched as Odd rose out of the water, kissing Ana swiftly on the lips as he pulled himself up to her side, drying his hair with the towel she offered him. Sissi turned her face toward Aelita's. "...but it seems only fair that I let him know how I feel."

Aelita nodded. "It's a tough decision."

Sissi snorted. "I know."

"But eventually you will have to make a choice."

"I know."

By the time Yumi reached the clearing Ulrich had laid out a checkered blanket, and was in the process of laying out some sandwiches. He rose as he heard her apporach. Yumi lingered in his arms before speaking—she needed comfort, not validation. She knew she had made the right choice. When she pulled herself from Ulrich's arms, she smiled. "Nice picnic."

Ulrich wrapped his arm around her waist, guiding her down to the blanket. "Thanks. It's not much, but it's the thought that counts." Yumi nodded, Ulrich's hand reaching up to caress her hair. "I've been thinking about your dad, and-"

"Stop." Yumi shook her head. "Just let me be here." Urich swiveled his fingers around to the back of Yumi's neck, drawing her closer. As they kissed, breathing each other in the perfect serenity of the forest, they were being watched. The moment might have seemed insignificant to any other observer, but it was exactly what Xana needed.

When Mr. Ishiyama had seen his daughter flash onto his computer screen, emotions had begun to rush through his blood, folding over and engulfing each other. At first, he was unsure what he was seeing. Then, as the sudden video applet came into focus, anger rose through him like a tide. He had _told_ her not to leave her room, yet here she was—not only defying him, seeing _the boy_, but in his arms!

As he punched the power button on his monitor, he heard a quiet thump upstairs. He snorted in derision. She was probably returning. Spinning out of his chair like a dervish, Yumi's father took the stairs two at a time, not even noticing as the small, metallic "bug" crept away from his computer.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ana giggled, putting up her hands as if to ward off Odd's splashes. He laughed.

"What's the matter? Scared of getting wet?" He rushed forward to grab her feet hanging helplessly over the edge. With a shriek, Ana found herself scooped up and deposited in the water. She laughed.

Over the splashing, Sissi could barely hear Jim's admonishments. She turned to Aelita. "See? That's what I'm talking about. What kind of friend would I be to come between _that_?"

Aelita shook her reclining head. "You can't keep doing this to yourself. You can't keep this bottled up. No matter how he feels, it's not your fault."

Sissi frowned, turning an eye to the frolicking couple before rolling onto her stomach. "It certainly feels like it."

Aelita copied her movement, despite the futility of trying to get a tan. "Then whatever you're feeling is probably pretty real."

Sissi smiled glummly, turning over as she felt drops splash onto her back. "Jeremie, you're in my sun."

Jeremie grinned, toweling down his hair. He took the chair next to Aelita's. "Don't you want to try swimming, Aelita?"

Aelita shivered. "Not while there are so many people in there. Besides, what if I find out I can't do it? What if the water's like it is on Lyoko? What if-"

Jeremie pressed his hand onto Aelita's shoulder. "It's okay. I guess I never imagined how weird it would be to have to get used to things here."

"Used to things where?" Brandy's voice pierced the rhythmic splashing. Sissi sighed.

Jeremie cleared his throat. "Uh...here in France. This is Odd's cousin. She used to live in Holland...she's still trying to adapt to the weather, and, uh...the traffic laws. Things like that."

Brandy snorted. "Oh, please. Do you think I'm a complete idiot?"

Placing her hand on Jeremie's arm, Aelita looked up toward Brandy's hard, calculating facade. "Jeremie, ik begrijp niet. Is iets verkeerd?"

Jeremie, catching on, patted Aelita's hand. "Nothing, Aelita. She was just leaving."

As Brandy walked off toward the pool, Sissi shook her head, eyes fixed on Aelita. "You speak Dutch?"

Aelita smiled and shrugged. "I also happen to speak Korean, Swahili, and Italian. There's not much to do on Lyoko except read about your world."

Jeremie grinned and shook his head, kissing Aelita on the forehead. "You just seem more amazing every day."

Sissi sighed. "Thanks. _That_ helps a lot."

Aelita was about to apologize. Then she noticed the sun had disappeared, and brights arcs of electricity seemed to jump across the sky. Jim was ushering people out of the pool until the lightning storm passed, and the students began to huddle beneath the awnings in case it began to rain.

The first boom of thunder sounded at precisely the moment Yumi's father banged on her door.

"I'll tell you, there's something weird about that girl."

Nicolas looked up. "Who? Odd's cousin?"

"No. The Mona Lisa." Brandy scoffed.

Herb lifted himself out of the water, Brandy flinching as he scattered droplets onto her shoulder. "She seems normal to me. I heard she used to live in Switzerland, or something."

Brandy rolled her eyes. "Holland. And I don't believe that for a minute."

Nicolas turned his gaze to Aelita and Sissi, chatting idly with Jeremie on the other side of the pool. "Maybe she just hasn't gotten used to things here yet..."

Brandy dropped herself into the water. "Oh, please, Nicolas. You really are an _idiot_, aren't you?"

Nicolas flinched and silenced. Sissi had never said it like _that_. Like she not only meant it, but didn't even consider that it might hurt. He turned his back, heading to an open line of water. "I'm gonna do a few laps."

Herb rested his feet in the water and shook his head almost imperceptibly. He missed Sissi.

"How **dare** you?"

Since he had forced his way through her door nearly three minutes ago, that was all he had been able to say, repeated over and over, louder each time. Finally slamming the door behind him, Mr. Ishiyama watched as his daughter backed herself into a corner. "Does this family mean nothing to you? Does my place in this household mean nothing to you?"

"Daddy, what are you talking about?"

"Don't you **dare** play dumb with me, young lady, I **saw** you! With him...with that **delinquent**!"

Yumi tried her best to look indignant. "What are you talking about? I've been in here since..."

"You've **been** defying my wishes. Didn't I raise you with our values? Didn't I teach you to respect your elders?"

"Father..."

"I work every day to put a roof over your head and **this** is how you repay me?"

"No, it's not like that," Aelita sighed, trying to explain to Jeremie, "she doesn't even really know how she feels. She doesn't want to jeapordize their friendship by telling him unless she's sure it's worth it."

Sissi lifted herself from her chair. "Excuse me? Isn't this my problem?"

Aelita smiled. "Well, yes, of course, but I tell it better."

Jeremie spotted Brandy, moving toward them through the water like an eel. "Anyway, Aelita, how do you like the weather here?" Jeremie stressed his point with his eyes.

As Brandy pulled herself from the water a few feet away, Aelita put on what she could only hope was a Dutch accent. "It is very warm...and it has not snowed yet since I come."

Brandy melted into the chair next to Sissi's. "So, having fun with your 'foreign exchange student'?"

Aelita turned toward Brandy, smiling, breaking her english as much as possible. "Jeremie, who is dit?"

Brandy rolled her eyes. "Nice accent. Think that up all by yourself?" Brandy leaned in. "I don't know what you freaks are trying to pull, but trust me when I say that I _will_ find out."

As Brandy stalked off, Jeremie shook his head. "She's really become a spitting image of you, Sissi."

Sissi rolled onto her stomach, chuckling. "Please, Jeremie. I'm in no mood to be insulted right now."

"Well that's too bad!" Yumi's father muttered, his hand wrapped around his daughter's wrist as he pulled her down the stairs. "Do you think that you can just ignore what I say? I am your **father**, young lady, and you do not get to spit in my face like this!"

Yumi had given up trying to protest. As the basement door slammed in her face and the lock clicked into place, all she could do was ball her fists and cry.

"Brandy's getting too close," Jeremie whispered, turned toward the girls. "You were never this bad, Sissi."

Sissi stretched the muscles in her neck as she looked up. "Well I just wanted to know what you guys were up to so I could get in. Brandy's naturally suspicious—if she did find out anything, she'd probably tell anyone who'd listen just so she'd look even cooler."

Aelita shook her head, smiling. "It's always amazed me the societies you people put together. You spend all your energy trying to make sure other people have a good opinion of you, so you lose sight of what's really important."

"Hey, you don't need to tell me," Sissi chuckled, "I'm one of the good guys now, remember?"

With a calm and focus she had taught herself when her parents had first begun fighting, Yumi sorted through the possibilities. Her father couldn't have followed them—she'd checked behind her as she'd walked, changing her route from time to time just in case. And it was unlikely anyone would have seen them and then told him—even if the grove hadn't been secluded, Yumi's father wasn't one to discuss his personal business, even with close friends. No matter what explanation she tried to find, her logic always led her back to the nagging paranoia that sat, always, in the back of her mind—Xana.

Pulling the overlooked cell phone from her back pocket, Yumi pressed the speed dial for Ulrich—number one, naturally. When he answered, his voice was sharp, somehow higher than normal. He knew something had happened. "Yumi? What is it, what happened?"

Yumi pushed toward the center of the concrete prison, keeping her voice low, lest he was still at the top of the stairs. "I have no idea. My father—he said he knew we met today—_saw_ us."

"What? How is that possible?"

"I don't know. Unless..."

"Unless what, Yumi?"

"What if it's Xana?"

"Xana? I don't get it. What would he have to gain?"

"I've been thinking about that. He knew Jeremie and the others would be at the pool today—Jeremie and Aelita talked about it through the Lyoko connection. He must have found out about my dad and our meeting by tapping into phone lines. Since Aelita wasn't in Lyoko, we wouldn't have known the Tower was activated."

Ulrich was silent for a moment, realization kicking in. "And he somehow got footage of us to your dad?"

"Right. He was hoping we wouldn't know it was him. Then he could deactivate the Tower before Aelita returned to Lyoko, and I'd never be allowed near you again."

"And we'd be down a fighter."

"Exactly."

Yumi could almost hear Ulrich shaking his head. "I don't know, Yumi. It doesn't sound like his style..."

"Ulrich, I've considered all the other options. This is the only thing that makes sense!"

Ulrich's voice disappeared for what seemed like an eternity. "Fine, we'll meet at the factory. I'll call Jeremie, see if he can get Aelita back here if we need her. I'll see you there in ten minutes..."

Yumi looked around at the bleak walls surrounding her, light filtering in from a grated window. "About that..."

He hadn't moved for fifteen minutes. He had to get back to work—he knew that, it was almost three. Nevertheless, Mr. Ishiyama had found himself sitting at his kitchen table since he had raised his voice at Yumi. _Overreacted_, he thought.

Jeremie scooped the cell phone out of his duffel, pressing the talk button in one swift motion. "Hello? Ulrich, what is it? What...are you sure? No, right, we'll be there as soon as we can."

Aelita glanced up. Jeremie answered the puzzled look in her eyes. "Ulrich says Xana. We have to go."

Sissi sat up, glancing over at Odd splashing throught the water. "Should I tell him?"

Jeremie shook his head. "You two stay here—if we all try to leave, Jim might get suspicious, not to mention Brandy. Aelita and I will go—we'll still have two fighters. That should be fine."

Yumi shook the bars vigorously. No good—they were welded onto the outside of the window frame. She rolled her head back and sighed—this could have been going better.

Ulrich let go of the rope and landed effortlessly on the factory floor. Jeremie and the others would be on their way. He made his way toward the elevator, glancing at his watch—where was she?

"What is it?" Jim bent down over Aelita. As Jeremie watched her, doubled over in pain, he had to admire her. This was a level of subterfuge rivaling Odd's.

Sighing, he pushed open the door. She was pacing at the bottom of the steps. She looked up. "Yumi, I..." Words escaped him.

"What are you trying to say?" Ana shook her head, spraying droplets across the concrete.

Brandy smiled, leaning up in her chair. "So you're telling me you really haven't noticed?"

Ana sighed. "I honestly don't have any idea what you're talking about."

"Oh, please. Look at them." Ana's glance shifted subconsciously to the two chairs, Sissi leaning over toward Odd. "Such 'good friends,' right? And I bet Odd never even told you about their _history_."

Ana's head snapped back, a cutting retort on the end of her tongue. She swallowed it. "What history?"

Odd glanced over to where Jeremie and Jim led Aelita onto the bus. "Come on, Sissi, what's up?"

Sissi leaned over, hoping her voice was low enough to be concealed by the splashing. "Ulrich called. He said there was some Xana trouble. Jeremie and Aelita are going back to school to check it out."

"Shouldn't we be going?"

"No. Jeremie doesn't want to alert...certain people."

"I'm sorry, Yumi." It seemed sadly inadequate, but it was all he could think of. "I overreacted, I don't know what..." He paused. "...I didn't mean to get so angry. I just think you can do better, that's all. I probably should have said that instead."

Yumi closed her eyes and exhaled sharply. "You're wrong. Dad, Ulrich's the best thing that's ever happened to me."

He shook his head. "I don't understand, Yumi. How can you say that? He's not nearly as smart as you are, and he's always getting into trouble-"

"Those aren't the kind of reasons that matter. The ones that do..." She sighed. She pushed out her chair. "...include why I have to leave now."

On any other day, he would have stopped her as she walked out the door. Now, he only asked why. She smiled, almost sadly.

"I'll tell you tomorrow."

Jeremie and Aelita leapt from the ropes, coming to rest on the factory floor. Ulrich rose from his place by the elevator. "There you are! What took you so long?"

Jeremie gulped for breath, explaining between gasps. "We had to...get away from Jim...after the...bus stopped." Jeremie paused, mopping the sweat from his forehead. "He can really run for an old guy."

Aelita bent her head backward, breathing hard as the sticky smell of sweat filled her nostrils. She wasn't used to sweating. Or, for that matter, breathing. "Where's Yumi?"

Ulrich was already inside the elevator. "She says she on her way. We're supposed to start without her." Aelita and Jeremie ducked inside as Ulrich pressed the button to descend.

Odd lifted his lips from the water fountain, hidden in the cool shade on the far side of the pool. Turning, he was startled to see Ana leaning against the stone wall. He smiled. "Hey."

Ana smiled half-heartedly. "Hi. Can we talk?"

Odd slouched against the wall, taking up a position beside Ana. "Sure. What is it?"

Ana exhaled slowly. "You and Sissi."

Odd turned his head slowly toward Ana. "What about me and Sissi?"

Ana leaned her head back, protruding stones digging pleasantly into the back of her scalp. "It's nothing. It's just that, well, you two seem to get along so well..."

Odd started. "Wait a second—are you jealous? Of Sissi?"

Ana averted her eyes, staring into the melting reflections on the surface of the water. "No, I mean..." She sighed. "She just knows you so much better than I do."

Odd smiled, leaning slowly over to kiss Ana's cheek. She sighed, then smiled, then began to walk back toward the pool, shaking her head. Odd watched her go, the sunlight playing across her skin. He was so lucky, he thought. What were the odds of finding someone as perfect as Sissi?

He bristled, standing up and moving back toward the sun. Ana. He'd meant Ana.

"...Virtualization."

Ulrich and Aelita felt the bare white light of the scanners fall away into the rich green of the Forest. Jeremie's voice buzzed through their heads. "It looks like Yumi was right—there's definitely an activated Tower thirteen degrees east of your current position. It doesn't look very heavily guarded."

Ulrich stepped in the direction Jeremie had advised, drawing his sword as he motioned for Aelita to follow him. "Well, if Yumi's theory was right, then Xana won't be expecting us."

Yumi had lost all feeling but the rhythmic sound of her feet pounding against the pavement. She didn't know how much time she had—for all she knew, Ulrich was already disabled. She could call Jeremie, but she had to save her breath: the factory was still nearly half a mile away.

"Hey, Sissi." Sissi looked down toward the pool, temporarily surprised by the skinny, familiar form in front of her. She blinked.

"Herb? What are you doing?"

"I'm splashing around, playing in the water and having a very good time." He dipped his head under the water for show. "I needed to talk to you."

Sissi scoffed. "What for? You seem perfectly happy with your new queen bee."

"Do you know why Nicolas and I started following you around? Huh?"

Sissi shrugged, her eyebrows peaked. "Because you never let anyone tell you what to do. You seemed so...strong."

Sissi smiled. "Yeah, well, I guess Brandy's gonna have to be strong enough for you."

"That's why I wanted to talk to you. I kind of feel...like I owe you a favor."

Sissi crept closer, hoping she looked inconspicuous. "What do you mean?"

Herb swallowed. He was about to do something he had never done—he was about to betray someone.

"It's just two Crabs and a Block. I should be able to take them out pretty quick." Ulrich crept out from behind the rock. He winced as Jeremie's voice echoed through his head, as if the monsters guarding the Tower could hear it. "I think you might have a slightly more immediate problem."

"What do you mean?" Ulrich turned around just in time to catch the first Hornet across his chest. He was able to dodge the second, but a hail of lasers sent him back behind his stony hiding place. "Aelita, just stay put!" Aelita nodded from inside a nearby log.

Sissi laid her head against the wall, cold stone drinking the sweat from her forehead. As if her own feelings for Odd weren't confusing enough, she now had Brandy's "help" to contend with. At least Herb had told her—otherwise, Brandy could have very artfully ruined all their lives.

Yumi emerged from the lift, panting. Jeremie turned around. "It's about time! Ulrich's only got forty Lifepoints left, and he still has a Hornet and two Crabs to deal with." Yumi nodded, ducking back into the elevator and heading down to the scanners.

Odd leaned against the wall, taking a place next to Sissi. "Hey."

Sissi nodded, trying not to make eye contact.

"You know, according to Ana, I'm in love with you or something."

Sissi sighed. "Wonder what gave her that idea."

Odd chuckled. Or rather, he tried.

Ulrich didn't see the other Crab sneak up behind him. He did hear the fan slice through its shell. He smiled. "It's about time you got here."

Yumi smiled, blocking the last Hornet's laser without even looking. "Better late than never. Shall we?"

Ulrich sliced open the Hornet's eye as it dove toward him. "After you." Yumi nodded, Aelita following closely behind her.

Odd sighed, their silence seeming awkward alongside the splashing of the pool. "Look, Sissi, I haven't really been completely honest with you..."

Sissi turned to him. He finally noticed how deep her eyes were. "What is it?"

He didn't even realize he was leaning into her. He didn't realize how close their faces had come.

"Return to the past, now!"

He didn't see the white light as it swept over them.

Aelita lied on her back, finally savoring the experience of "tanning." She turned toward Sissi, the girl lying stoicly on her back, staring straight up. "You and Odd were pretty quiet on the bus."

Sissi glanced involuntarily toward the other girl. "No we weren't."

Aelita smiled, far too knowingly. "Anything you want to tell me?"

Sissi turned back toward the sky. "Oh, just shut up and sunburrn already."

Aelita grinned, Jeremie's shadow falling across her. "I thought you might be thirsty." She took the can, popping the top as she looked around at the screaming masses.

"Thanks. Why didn't Ulrich come this time?"

Jeremie sat down, shurgging. "I don't know. He said he had something he had to take care of."

Yumi felt Ulrich's palm press into hers. They were right outside the front door, but Yumi couldn't walk in. It was too big. It could change everything. But she had a promise to keep. She pushed open her screen door, Ulrich squeezing her hand reassuringly. Her father sat at the kitchen table over a pile of papers. He looked up. "Daddy...

"I have something very important to tell you."


End file.
